IPHEGENIA

Arcola Theatre

★★★

“an engaging adaptation that brings the classic text closer to us in the modern day”

Director and adaptor Serdar Biliş says that he wishes to blend fiction with reality and ask piercing questions, especially during a time when one war breaks after another. And what better play to discuss it with than Euripides’ Iphigenia, translated by Stephen Sharkey, who is famous for adapting classic texts into stories that concern our contemporary experiences.

Euripides was famous for focusing his tragedies around the victims of war, usually women, and taking war off the pedestal, he portrayed it for what it really is: bloodshed, pain, loss, not a glittering opportunity for power, conquer and glory. Iphigenia is the eldest daughter of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and chief commander of the war against Troy. Before the expedition begins, the oracle says that for the wind to blow and for the ships to be able to sail, Agamemnon has to sacrifice Iphigenia; he needs to choose between his own flesh and blood and an army that expects him to lead.

In this adaptation, there’s a merge of the original storyline with interviews of real women who talk about the father’s role, parenthood and war, sharing stories that make our skin crawl and our eyes tear up. Shown in video projections designed by Enrico Aurigemma, the rawness of these experiences shifts the focus towards those whose suffering is often overlooked, as well as reinforces the anti-war message that Biliş wants to convey. Something similar is attempted by the actors breaking character to narrate their own family narratives. It’s not as efficient compared to the projected interviews and it feels slightly forced, occasionally breaking up the pacing of the scenes.

The cast consists of an incredibly strong trio. Simon Kunz, Agamemnon, is exemplary, as he manages to hit all the marks of the king’s decision making, doubt and eventual giving in to the glory of war against his wife’s threats, his daughter’s imploring and his own father instincts. In the opening, he comes onstage as an actor and does a pre-set intro which, though a playful way to provide the exposition, is such a cliché and overdone, but Kunz’s energy and smooth comedy skills warm you up to it.

Indra Ové, playing Iphigenia’s mother Clytemnestra, is a sight to behold. She’s graceful, yet powerful, like a queen ought to be, and fights for her daughter’s life like a lioness. Confronting Agamemnon and using any tactic she can to dissuade him from sacrificing Iphigenia, Ové shows an incredible range that sets your heart ablaze.

Our titular character is played by Mithra Malek, whose sweet and calm presence complements her parents’ fiery interactions. Her most important moments are overlaid with the live singing by musician and composer Kalia Lyraki, which doesn’t allow Malek to fully reach the audience. Lyraki is a beautiful addition, her live music adding to the emotional depth to a mesmerising degree. And it’s so touching to have a Greek creative as part of the team. However, it does distract from Malek’s performance, so it’d be better if the monologues and singing didn’t coincide.

Lighting designer Catja Hamilton handles the changes in the tone, narration and the jump between actors speaking versus characters speaking efficiently, yet allowing for a creative vision to come forth. Playing with hints of blue, swift blackouts and warm undertones, she makes the story clearer, in a subtle way that doesn’t take away from what’s happening onstage.

One of the weakest points is surprisingly the finale, when the sacrifice takes place. The plain miming and simplistic movement used while Agamemnon explains to Clytemnestra what happened to their beloved daughter, makes the moment feel unconvincing and doesn’t take a clear path either towards the rage caused by the atrocity of the situation or towards the miraculous and absolving nature of Iphigenia’s actual fate.

Nevertheless, it’s an engaging adaptation that brings the classic text closer to us in the modern day. Circling around family ties and clashes and supported by an excellent cast, Iphigenia comes at a perfect time to remind us to choose humanity and love over ideals that serve no one, but those who are in power and abuse it at our expense.

IPHEGENIA

Arcola Theatre

Reviewed on 13th April 2026

by Stephanie Christodoulidou

Photography by Ikin Yum

IPHEGENIA

★★★★

“Moving, weighty, yet full of love”

Long before George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, there was Tyisha Miller – a 19 year old African American woman shot dead by police while unconscious in a car. Following an award-winning Edinburgh Fringe debut and off-Broadway run, Rickerby Hinds’ ‘Dreamscape’ premieres in London, capturing Miller’s story with devastating honesty.

Christmas 1998. Myeisha and her cousin get a flat tire – no big deal. Her cousin goes for help, and Myeisha stays with the car, a gun on her lap for protection. Through poetry, rap, beatbox and dance, we learn what happens next, piecing together a hopeful young life while tracing the twelve bullets which ultimately end it.

Written and directed by Professor of Playwriting, Rickerby Hinds, the script treads a frank but firmly grounded line, opening a deeply human window into African American experience. The piece is smartly structured, opening and closing with the events of that day, while the central narrative fights the constraints of the autopsy report. As the Coroner coolly maps each bullet wound, Myeisha’s vivacious personality bursts through in lively West Coast vernacular, peppered with jokes (‘Manchester’ is a gem), rhymes, rapping and dancing which bring her hopes, dreams and fears to life. It’s a richly layered, utterly human portrait that makes her violent death all the more shocking.

Hinds’ assured direction deftly marries poetry, rap, beatbox and dance into a seamless whole. The hip hop and rap influences land with real polish, and slick beatboxing brings 90s radio to life. The sparing use of Christmas music, cleverly reprised in the finale, bristles with lost innocence. Carrie Mykuls’ ever present choreography is a standout – carefree at first, then edged with fear, before giving way to beatbox driven transitions and haunting sequences where Myeisha’s body floats like an impersonal schematic. The result is a beautifully flowing hip hop ballet that feels meticulously constructed.

That said, the piece could use a little more oomph in places. You feel the surge in pace toward the climax, but the overall build could be greater. Each section contains cleverly contrasting energies, but some sections could do with clearer distinction from each other. The beatbox transitions are slick, but a slight tightening in the second half would gather more momentum. Still, the whole thing is impressively crafted and holds together with clear intention.

Tonight’s cast pairs Jada Evelyn Ramsey as Myeisha with Josiah Alpher as the Coroner and others; Natali Micciche and John ‘Faahz’ Merchant are set to take over later in the run. Ramsey and Alpher are a sharp duo, bouncing effortlessly off each other in dialogue and music. Alpher seamlessly switches between crisp beatboxing and ominous detachment. Ramsey fills the space with naïve, sassy vitality – a performance so human it deepens the tragedy at the play’s core. Ramsey is also a triple threat with precise rapping and snappy hip hop moves.

The design is simple but strong. The eerie openness of the minimal set – just two chairs and a microphone – lets your imagination fill in the blanks. Costumes are simple but effective: Alpher in all black slips in and out of a doctor’s coat, and Ramsey’s casual textures convey personality and era. The lighting is especially striking, separating Myeisha from the shapeshifting man – his world is cool and clinical, hers warm and vibrant. The only wobble is the sound mix: the head mic muffles at high volume while the handheld mic booms. Even so, the rapping and beatboxing cut through well on the whole.

‘Dreamscape’ is a vital piece of theatre confronting a grim, all too frequent reality. Moving, weighty, yet full of love, to see it is to remember Tyisha and our shared humanity.

Tag Archives: Ikin Yum

IPHEGENIA

★★★

Arcola Theatre

IPHEGENIA

Arcola Theatre

★★★

“an engaging adaptation that brings the classic text closer to us in the modern day”